"RUCHI!" I was wide awake when I heard my mother's booming voice coming from outside my room.

"WAKE UP! IT IS YOUR WEDDING DAY!" Came her voice, louder and clearer than ever.

"I am awake." I sighed annoyingly while opening the door to my room, only to be greeted by her angry face.

"It is 9 a.m. What will you do after going to your in-laws' home?" 

Don't worry mom...I have a better place to be.

The temptation to utter these words was strong but I made peace with her by hugging her. Now, that's something I don't do often but it surely will shut her up, plus, I know after today she will hate me for letting her and dad down..but I have no choice.

She hugged me back tightly enough to choke me. After that, she left without saying any word and I showered.

I was in my towel when my cousins entered my room and started pestering about the saree and jewelry that I will wear for the Haldi ceremony.

I showed them the way out and reluctantly draped the long beautiful designer cloth around my body. And matched it with some floral jewelry, which was bought by my father. No kidding but the yellow saree looked good on me.

On any other day, I would have appreciated the design of the exquisite Indian wear but today, the beautiful clothing felt more like a straitjacket from some asylum to me.

~*~

I was sitting with everyone applying turmeric or haldi on my face and hands as part of the Indian wedding tradition. It is every girl's dream to have a beautiful wedding, and my wedding was every bit of what a girl desires. What I once desired too. But today all I wanted to do was to scream and command everyone to stop fussing and just cancel the damn thing!

The whole day, relatives and my parents were pampering me like I was 3-years old. It feels good but then again it feels wrong because that's what it was. Wrong. 

It was 4 pm. My flight is in 3 hours.

I was ready with my bag, passport, and ticket. I was wearing my comfortable jeans and a black shirt, perfect for traveling. I do not feel bad for running away like this. I should feel bad for the groom at least, but I don't think he cares about this arrangement either.

I heard my parents talking about how he will arrive only an hour before the wedding, because he has a meeting. I was not able to listen more, but I got an idea about what kind of person he is.

For one's own sake, who comes to their wedding only an hour before it? It seems like he actually had the balls, unlike me to deny all the customs and rituals. He got a point there.

But, then again do anything, never, ever disrespect your culture, the point deducted!

I now had to find a way to get out of the house. I had it planned but it was more difficult than I thought. These people are just not leaving me alone! So, I decided to lock my room and sneak out from the back door in the kitchen.

I threw my bag out of my room's window. I was about to exit my room when my mother came in with a big smile on her face. God! how can I hurt her? She looks so happy! But I had to do it for myself. Yes, call me all selfish, I don't care!

"C'mon pack your stuff, we are leaving." That's exactly what I was planning to do, I thought.

"What are you thinking? Hurry up! Or else we will be late. We had to see the arrangements at the wedding venue, and you need to get ready. C'mon." My mother was going hysterical, I don't even want to think what will happen after she'll get to know what I was planning to do.

"Calm down." I smiled at her and hugged her for the second time in the day. I broke my own record.

"How can I? My little baby girl is going to get married in less than 4 hours." I hugged her tighter and then made an excuse to make her leave me alone.

God! How much I hate doing this to her. I think maybe I should drop the idea and marry that rich guy..what? No! Not after all this, it is too late to back out! I am not spending my whole life in regret of marrying the wrong person.

"Sometimes the wrong person is the right one."

I heard my cousin reading something out from her phone to my other cousin. Huh..all this looks good only on Facebook, but in real life, it is all Bullshit! They will realize it, once their teenage years will be over.

I decided to meet my father before running away. I've always been a daddy's girl.

"Papa?" I knocked on his door gently.

"Come in." Came his stern commanding voice. I entered the door. My father is a retired Army Major. His face softened when he saw me. It always does.

"How are you, papa?" He laughed.

"I should be the one asking you this, cupcake." I smiled at the usage of the name I hate the most.

"I don't like this name, you know it," I said smiling.

How am I going to leave him, leave everything behind?

"But I like it." he said in his 'no more arguments' tone and I laughed for the first time in the past 3 days.

"You know, little one, I am aware you are not happy with this arrangement." Finally, someone understands me. I remained silent though, for all I know this could turn from understanding to guilt-tripping real soon.

"But all this is for your own good. I always wanted you to be happy and by marrying him, you will be happy." My father looks so good when he smiled. The thought alone made my eyes stung, that in a few hours, I will be the reason for his sadness.

He wiped the tears that escaped my eyes. "Don't cry. Always remember, believe in yourself and do what your heart says." He smiled reassuringly as if giving me a thumbs up for my plan of running away. At least I am going to presume so.

"I love you, papa!" and I am very sorry too. I hugged him and then left.

I can't stop the waterworks. I excused myself from everyone and went to the kitchen to have some water (my excuse worked better because of all the crying which they wrongly assumed were because of the pre-wedding jitters). I drank some water and looked around. Luckily no one was in or near the kitchen, probably everyone is getting ready.
There could be no better chance. This is my chance. I looked at the door, my way to freedom. Once I'm out of it, there's no turning back. I'm ready for this, I changed in my head like a mantra several times.

Yes, this is it. I am going to do this.

I unlocked the back door and left the house. I picked up my bag from under my room's window and sneaked out straight into the cab which I'd ordered online an hour back.

"Where to?" The driver asked.
"Airport." I replied curtly.

As the cab drove me away. I for one last time looked back at my parent's house.

Goodbye, my old life. And hello to the better one!

----------------------------

Hello everyone, my new story is here! I hope you all liked the first chapter. Others are going to be a whole lot better. I have some great ideas for this story.

Please vote and comment. Those are great support and motivation!

For those, who are confused about what a saree is? I have attached a pic of what Ruchi's looked like.

And theoretically saree is a long mostly 9m long piece of cloth which is to be draped around body. It is traditional Indian wear for women. :)

Thanks!

And Lots Of Love!